Romancing the Android
by TheLovelyReaper
Summary: Sheldon Cooper has met his match. She's smart, beautiful, and everything he could ever ask for. But, as we all know, every rose has thorns that threaten those who dare to get too close. This physicist better watch out or he may just get pricked.
1. Chapter 1

_**A.N.: A few things before we start. Yes, this is somewhat of a sequel to my story A Light In The Dark. No, you do not have to read it to understand this story; Only to understand who Violet/Kolbe is. Second, Sheldon is slightly OOC in this. Mostly because it's a lot of what is going on in his head, not in reality. I hope you all enjoy this first chapter of**_ _**Romancing the Android**_.

Sheldon stood stark still as his best friend adjusted his shirt. It was his third date this week and he was beginning to lose hope. As she got him ready, Violet drilled him on what he needed to know for this date. Despite his internal conflict, he found it easier to go with it and bicker a bit than fight the pregnant woman.

"Remember, make small talk but don't dumb it down too much. That's what ruined the last date."

"Kolbe, I-"

"But don't act super smart either. It makes them feel dumb."

"I know. Kolbe-"

"No buts! You asked me to help you find a girlfriend. I let you choose the others, now you have to go with my choice."

"Maybe I'm meant to stay a solitary creature. I enjoy being alone."

"Sheldon Lee Cooper! I am offended you think I'll lead you astray on this one."

Her hurt look was enough to make him apologize profusely, not a behavior common to him. Assured he wasn't going to back out, Violet sent him out. At least the blind date was at a coffee shop where they were on neutral ground. The only thing he knew about his date was that she knew as much about comics as he did and that her name was Lily. Once he arrived at the coffee shop, he ordered a Mocha chip Frappuccino with whipped cream and a chocolate drizzle. Ever since he became business partners with Stuart, he had become addicted to the icy drinks. Sheldon took a seat near the back, keeping an eye on the door at all times. It was obvious she hadn't arrived yet since the only other patron was an older gentleman.

She was supposed to be there at six'o'clock sharp, but it was nearing six-fifteen and he was beginning to lose hope. Then _she _walked in. The first thing he saw was her long legs, hidden beneath a thin layer of denim. Her shirt had _10=2_ stretched over the chest and obviously straining against what was hidden. A _Superman_ purse hung low against her hip. When he finally reached her face, he was gone. This woman wore no make-up, save for a bit of shimmery lip gloss. Chestnut locks twisted and cascaded down her shoulders, stopping just below her well-shaped breasts. And, for the first time in his life, he wondered what a woman would look like naked. Of course he shook of those dark thoughts when she sat down.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, blushing endearingly, "I got a little bit lost. I hope you weren't waiting too long. You are Sheldon, correct?"

"N-no, not long at all. And yes, that must mean you're Lily."

Now he was freaking out inside. Not only did he think of her naked and stutter, but he _lied_. By now, he would either be chastising her for being tardy or twitching uncontrollably for lying. She was so perfect that he couldn't seem to do either though. Her smile made it all worth it. So, instead of asking his usual questions, he asked her about herself.

"There really isn't much about me. I grew up in a Southern Baptist household with an overprotective father and a mother that was even more so. As soon as I could leave I did. I went to college for journalism and became a model, much to my parent's dismay. Enough about me, tell me about you."

"I'm in basically the same boat. Except, I grew up in a Christian household and became what I went to college for; Physics that is."

"Really? That is so cool!"

"I wish I could show my child self this moment."

"Why?"

"An aesthetically pleasing girl saying Physics is cool? That's the equivalent of Penny going to Harvard on scholarship."

"Who's Penny? And I think you just called me pretty."

"Yes, in a sense. And she is my roommate's girlfriend. She has the IQ of an average eleventh grader."

Lily cringed sympathetically at the thought of someone so dumb. Then she rose to get herself something from the counter. Sheldon instantly jumped up.

"Please, allow me," he said like a true southern gentleman.

"No no, I can get it."

"I can be very stubborn. What would you like?"

"I can too. But I don't feel like arguing, so just a hot chocolate and a blueberry muffin, please. Here," she pulled four dollars from her purse, "Take this."

"No, it's my treat."

He was halfway to the counter before she could protest. The cashier was openly staring at her and he cleared his throat. Blushing, the teenager took his order and gave it to him swiftly. Leaning in close, he whispered in his ear softly.

"If I catch you staring at her again, I will get you fired. Got it?"

"Y-yes sir!"

Nodding once, he returned to the table with her order. She accepted it gladly, thanking him. He shrugged it off with a blush.

"So…how do you know Violet?"

You mean Bunny? She and I have worked together on a couple of modeling jobs. I guess she remembered me mentioning that I'm single. How do _you_ know her?"

"She's my childhood and current best friend. I help her husband run his business as well."

"You mean the comic shop? Awesome!"

"Not the word most would use, but you aren't most."

"Aww, that's sweet."

Blushing, she nibbled her muffin and sipped the drink shyly. He smiled inwardly at how well everything was going. His last couple of dates hadn't lasted ten minutes. They had either stormed off for him acting like they were below him intellectually, or acted like they had to leave because his smart talk was boring. But this, chatting so casually with Lily, felt natural. Violet deserved a medal for finding his perfect match. If all went well and she wanted to be his girlfriend, he would be able to solve so many problems in his life. The guys would stop harassing him about his sexual orientation; the girls would finally quit trying to "hook him up" with their friends or Amy. Plus, his mother would be pleased by the fact that she came from a religious family. In all it was an ideal relationship. Sheldon just needed to find a way to get the girl.

Before he could say a word, Lily piped up.

"I feel awkward for asking, but are you free Tuesday night?"

"Tuesday night is comic book night, but I could move things around."

"No! I mean, don't change your plans for me. W-would you mind if I joined you?"

"For comics?"

"Uh-huh, if you don't mind…"

"I'd be honored."

"It's a date then!"

She turned bright red, realizing her words, and hid her face. He chuckled in response at her innocence. Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to find the right words to say, but simply couldn't find them. It was when he gave her his usual smirk that she looked truly mortified.

"Don't worry, I understand your meaning."

"Oh thank goodness. I was afraid you were amused by me jumping to conclusions."

"This is far from a conclusion. Think of it as a beginning."

His optimistic remark made her grin and it was right there that he made a pledge; A pledge that he, Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper, would make her his girlfriend no matter what the cost. After a few more minutes of small talk, it was time they went their separate ways.

"I had fun tonight, Sheldon," Lily smiled as she rose to leave.

"As did I. I hope to enjoy your company again on Tuesday."

She pecked him on the cheek once, and then darted out the door. The physicist froze in place, touching the slightly sticky mark her lip gloss made. For the first time in his life, he didn't want to run to the bathroom and cleanse his face excessively. He smiled instead and went home to have the most restless night's sleep ever.

_**Thank you so much for reading this story! I hope y'all enjoyed the first chapter of my newest BBT fanfic!**_


	2. Chapter 2

When his alarm went off Tuesday morning, Sheldon jumped right out of bed and beelined to the kitchen for breakfast.

"You know what? I'm in such high spirits I'm going to eat Honey Puffs," he told Leonard and Penny, who were stationed on the couch.

"But, today is French Toast day."

"Yeah, who are you and where did you put annoying Sheldon."

"Can't a grown man eat cereal for breakfast when he feels like it?"

"Not according to the Dr. Sheldon Cooper schedule on the fridge."

"Just for today, let's go with"

Taking a deep breath, the tall physicist turned his schedule around and the blond fell off the couch. He poured a bowl of cereal and sat down in his reserved seat, ignoring the stares from the couple. Unfortunately, it was more difficult than expected; especially when both pairs of eyes stared so blatantly at him.

"What?!" he finally snapped.

"Where is the real Sheldon?"

"I think DNA testing would prove that I am, in fact, the only Sheldon. With my DNA of course."

They continued to stare at him doubtfully and he sighed sharply. It had to happen sooner or later.

"Her name is Lily. I met her earlier this week on a blind date that Violet made me go on. She is a girl that is a friend, but I hope for the relationship to become more."

"Okay, now I definitely think something happened. Did you hit your head or were you abducted…?"

"There is nothing wrong with me! Aliens would have kept me for my brilliance and you would have heard about me hitting my head."

Sheldon opened his phone, locating the contact picture he took of Lily. She was giving a peace sign and smiling sweetly. Smiling, he showed them the picture. Leonard's eyes bugged while Penny punched his shoulder, her gawk matching her fiancé's. It was obvious they were stunned by his ability to get such a girl.

"Sheldon! Sh-she's gorgeous!" the blonde cried out.

"Yeah! How did you manage to keep her from running?!"

"I couldn't find any flaws in her. Not that I was looking, but she was unambiguously the most perfect woman I have ever met."

"More than Amy?"

"Absolutely. I-I want to bring her home to Meemaw."

The finality of his tone made it known to them both that he was more than serious. Leonard smiled at him and patted his shoulder.

"If you really feel that way, we support you," he said firmly.

"Yup. When are we going to meet this image of perfection?"

"Tonight. She will be joining us for Comic Book Night."

"A girl that pretty who isn't repelled by comics? Are you sure she's human?"

He nodded, having asked himself that question before. Android technology wasn't good enough for her not to be human. After finishing his cereal, he went to check his email. There was a new one from Amy Farrah Fowler. Bernadette and Penny had been trying a while to get them back together, but it was her who refused most of the time. It was common courtesy to see just what she wanted.

_Dr. Cooper,_

_I've been doing a lot of thinking over the past two_ _years_ _and have decided to take you back. I see now that I was wrong for jumping to conclusions. I feel that we both have had time to grow a bit and are ready to try again. I hope you will accept my proposal,_

_Amy Farrah Fowler_

Sighing softly, he tapped out a quick reply.

_Dr. Fowler,_

_My apologies, but I have moved on. I think you should do the same._

_Dr. Sheldon Cooper_

After clicking send, he rose from his chair to go get dressed for the day. Thoughts of Lily filled his head more aggressively than they had been for the past few days. He accredited it to the realization that he was actually going to see her tonight in the flesh. And, by the end of the night, she would be his girlfriend. Hopefully Howard wouldn't screw this up for him. It would be a very dark day if that man scared her away. The chiming of his phone tore him from his dark thoughts. It was simply a message from her confirming that she was coming. Not wanting to show how elated he was, he replied with a swift "Okay". Butterflies now swarmed in his stomach pleasantly like they did every time she texted. This feeling had not only become familiar, but welcomed. His phone started to ring and he quickly answered.

"Dr. Sheldon Cooper speaking."

"Hi Sheldon, it's Lily," an angelic voice replied.

"Hello, how are you?"

"I'm great! You see, I finished a shoot early and was wondering if you would like to hang out? If you have plans I understand completely!"

The mere idea of seeing her earlier made everything in him jump in excitement.

"Of course! I mean, yes. You may come over."

"Yay! I'm so glad."

Her happiness had him smiling like a fool as he gave her directions to the apartment. Once they hung up, Sheldon rushed out to the living room.

"Change of plans. She's on her way now."

"Oh honey, that's awesome!" Penny cheered.

"I can't wait to meet the girl who has you acting so strange in a good way."

Beaming, he went to make a pot of tea. As he was setting it on the stove, there was a knock at the door. He ran like an excited child to answer it. Standing on the other side, looking like a goddess in a Flash shirt, was Lily. She smiled at him sweetly, her lips painted a light plum color. The urge to kiss those lips became very prominent and it took all of his willpower not to. Instead, he stepped aside to allow her passage. His friends attempted to hide their gawks as they watched from the couch.

"Lily, these are my friends. Leonard and Penny, this is Lily."

"Hi. I hope we get along and become friends," Lily smiled, blushing.

Penny squealed happily and grabbed the poor girl in a huge hug. It was reciprocated with slightly less zeal. After managing to pull the Nebraskan woman away, Sheldon directed the shaken beauty over to his spot on the couch. As he was fixing her a cup of tea, he could hear his two friends going back and forth.

"Wow, you must be really special."

"How come?"

"Because in the several years I've been his roommate, no one has been allowed to sit in that spot without consequence."

"Why?"

"It's Sheldon's spot."

He braced himself for a gasp of horror, or further questions, but they never came. Just sweet peals of laughter that made him grin like a fool.

"I'm the exact same way at my house," she finally said, one more small hiccup of laughter bubbling from her lips.

Sighing in relief, he brought out the tea on a saucer and sat down beside her. As she drank, all he could think about was ways to make her his. This was going to be a very long night and he didn't care one bit.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Warning for those who haven't read "A Light In The Dark" and possibly for those who have, this story takes place before the epilogue, but two years after the story. Violet Kolbe is Stuart's (pregnant) wife and Sheldon is now his part-time business partner.**_

Sheldon knew there was something wrong as soon as Howard walked through the door. It was the way the Jewish man looked at Lily, the way his eyes widened in recognition.

"Howard, this is Lily. Lily, this is Howard Wollowitz."

"Nice to meet you!" she chimed.

"Nice to…meet you too…"

He glared daggers at his acquaintance, daring him to say something inappropriate. Instead, though, he took a seat on one of the chairs quietly. All the time looking at the newcomer. She smiled politely back.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. I just think I've seen you before."

"Well, she _is_ a model. You probably saw her on TV or something," Sheldon huffed.

"Yeah, that's probably it."

They all sat together, talking, for a while before heading out to the comic book store. He, Lily, and Howard were going in his car while Raj and Leonard took Leonard's car.

"I still can't believe it took you bribery to finally want to drive," the engineer teased.

"Bribery?"

"Didn't you know? Sheldon refused to learn how to drive, but then Violet bribed him with this car and he learned in two weeks."

"It's KITT! Of course I would learn if it meant I could be Knightrider."

"Why didn't you want to learn?"

"I had a bad experience when I was younger."

He pulled up to the comic book store, quashing any more questions. Stuart waved at them from behind the counter as they entered. They greeted him back and went straight to the new comics. Lily trailed behind at first, but was quickly caught in the allure of the anime merchandise. While she was distracted, Howard and Raj pulled Sheldon aside. The shorter man whispered to him in a concerned tone.

"Sheldon, I remember where I saw her before."

"Howard, I have no time for your foolishness."

"I'm not being foolish. I've seen her in a magazine."

"Well, of c-"

"A nudie magazine."

"It's true dude. October centerfold of _Vixens_," Raj added.

He stood up a bit straighter, glaring right at his friends.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because we're your friends and we're worried about you."

"Why now? Why now, of all times, are you worried about me?!" the physicist said a bit loudly, catching the attention of other customers.

"Sheldon, you're causing a scene…"

"Oh shut up. You know what? I think you're lying. I think you're jealous and are trying to pull one over on me. Well, I'm not falling for it."

"We aren't joking."

Just then, Lily hurried over wearing a cute bear-eared hat. She looked at him with unveiled confusion. It was so sweet he couldn't help but smile.

"Is everything alright? I heard you yelling…"

"Everything is fine; Just an argument over comics. Isn't that right?"

"Yup, perfect fine."

"Oh, okay. I just hate to see friends fighting."

She smiled brightly and he shot his friends an 'I told you so look' before smiling down at her.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Uh-huh. I'm going to get this hat and a bunny backpack."

"Okay, let's go pay together then."

They walked up together to the counter and greeted Stuart once more. The clerk smiled back at them tiredly.

"Kolbe keeping you up?"

"Yeah, her morning sickness isn't just in the morning. Plus all the worrying about names and baby stuff," he yawned, "But it's worth it."

"How about you take tomorrow off to get some rest and I'll watch the shop?"

"Thanks. Will you be using your discount?"

"Of course. For her too."

His partner looked at Lily for the first time and jolted.

"Oh, hello. You must be Lily."

"You know me?"

"Oh, right, I forgot to introduce myself. Stuart Bloom, Violet's husband. She told me a bit about you."

"Nice to meet you! Sorry, Violet is just so-"

"Private? I know."

He finished scanning their items and she paid before Sheldon could protest. They went outside afterward to wait for the others.

"So…what now?"

"Well, normally we go home and play Halo."

"That sounds fun, but I'm probably just gonna go home…"

"Oh, okay. We should do this again sometime."

"Maybe…"

"Is something wrong?"

"No! No, not at all."

She looked at her feet and he brushed it off as her having a long day. Once the others were finished, they headed back to the apartment. Sheldon walked Lily to her car to make sure nothing bad happened. When they reached it, he decided to make his move.

"So, uh, Lily?"

"Yes?"

"I-I was wondering if, um,well…"

He turned red, going silent as he tried to figure out what to say. She sighed softly and touched his shoulder. A forlorn look was upon her face.

"I had fun tonight. I'll talk to you later," she said, kissing his cheek like before.

Then she was gone and he was left standing in the parking lot feeling like an idiot for the first time in his life.

-_1 week later_-

Sheldon found himself checking his phone again for the fifth time that morning. Ever since that awkward moment outside her car, Lily hadn't spoken a word to him. No texts, no calls, no nothing. He was worried he had scared her away. Or that she had heard his conversation with Howard. Finally, after much internal conflict, he decided to call her. Much to his surprise, she picked up on the first ring.

"Hey!" her energetic voice chirped.

"Hello, Lily. It's Sheldon."

"I know. I'm so sorry for not communicating. I've been really busy."

They sat in silence for a few moments until she spoke again.

"So…is there anything specific you needed?"

"No. I was just making sure you were still breathing. Goodbye."

"Wait! Do you wanna, I don't know, grab a coffee before you go out tonight?"

He thought about it for a second before answering.

"Sure, coffee sounds good. Same place as before?"

"Yup! Is four-ish alright?"

"Certainly. I will see you then."

"Bye!"

"Goodbye, "he replied, adding after she hung up, "I love you."

Sheldon spent the next hour preparing and practice what he was going to say. He may have screwed up before, but this time would be different. Without even a passing explanation, he hurried past Leonard and left. It was just turning four when he arrived. Once inside, he ordered the same things they had gotten before and sat down at the same table. She entered ten minutes later, this time wearing a dress with a Flash symbol. His heart figuratively skipped as he found himself falling for her all over again. A blush stained her cheeks as she took a seat across from him. Her food and drink were already placed in front of her.

"You remembered?"

"I remember everything. I have an eidetic memory," he said matter-of-factly, instantly feeling irritated with himself for being a show off.

Lily simply smiled and nibbled her muffin.

"So, Lily…"

"So, Sheldon?"

"I, um, darn it. Why is this so hard…?"

"Huh?"

"I'll just ask you the way I'm used to. Would you agree to enter a symbiotic romantic relationship with me?"

"Um…that depends. Did you just ask me out?"

"Yes, in layman's terms. I wish to be your 'boyfriend'."

"Then yes, I will."

His heart raced and he felt his mouth go dry. She said yes. Lily was his girlfriend now. He felt faint, yet energized at the same time. Taking a deep breath, he leaned forward and kissed her deeply. It was the most amazing thing he had ever experienced. Her lips tasted of coffee and blueberries and fit perfectly against his. Something heated within him and caused his brain to fog over. It was as if he was drugged. Once they pulled away for air, they sat for a moment. Both had their cheeks turned a light shade of pink as they stared at each others' faces. Sheldon decided to speak first this time.

"Before we go any further, I need you to sign a few things."

_**Thank you all so much for the favorites, follows, and reviews. I love you all and hope you enjoyed this chapter.**_


	4. Chapter 4

"Um…Question," Lily asked for the third time that night.

The two were currently sitting on Sheldon's couch, going over the relationship agreement. His friends watched from the sidelines as in was revised and question. They were shocked to discover how willing he was to change certain parts of his precious contract. So far they had edited to rules on dates and unnecessary touching. At the moment, they were reading "Section 4: Holding Hands"

"What about it?"

"Can we hold hands as long as at least one of us is wearing gloves of some kind? So we can be sanitary while expressing intimacy?"

"Marry her!" Penny yelled.

Sheldon threw her an annoyed look before adjusting it on his laptop. Lily looked slightly uncomfortable, glancing at their audience. Afraid they were going to scare her away, he closed his laptop.

"Want to take this in my room?"

"Aww, come on Sheldon! It's not every day we get to view the mating rituals of such a unique species."

"Just like the Vulcan _Pon Farr_, my so-called mating rituals are private. Lily?"

"Yes please."

Smiling sheepishly, the beauty followed him to his ever pristine room. He gestured for her to sit on his bed due to the lack of chairs. She sat on the edge delicately. The physicist followed suit, opening his laptop once more. They got through the section on boo-boos and soon found themselves on Section 6.

**Section VI. Kissing and Coitus**

-_Kisses are only necessary when_:

*Date is finished.

*One has a boo-boo

*When CPR is need and only with a sanitary guard.

-_**Sexual intercourse shall not be allowed or tolerated under any circumstances.**_

Sheldon gauged her reaction to this and found nothing. She had no reaction whatsoever.

"Anything you want to edit or add to this part?" he asked, trying not to sound hopeful.

"Nope."

"Are you sure?"

"Look, you're a grown man and I'm perfectly fine with whatever makes you comfortable. Don't change who you are for me."

That hit him in the heart. All his life, people tried to change him. He resisted it the best he could and usually succeed. But sometimes he had to concede. Amy, his mother, even Leonard had ended up changing one thing about him against his will. Now here was this beautiful woman, sitting patiently on his bed, willing to embrace him for him. Even her changes to the relationship contract had been under his own terms. Lily had let him know before they ever started reading over it that she wanted him to have final say in everything since it was his idea. Taking a deep breath, he highlighted the entire section. Her eyes widened a bit and Sheldon smiled sheepishly.

"I want to try something different. Let's play this by ear."

"Are you sure? I mean, you don't have to change it!"

"I know. But I want to. I want to be free to be intimate with you."

Her face turned red and he found it absolutely endearing. Without a second thought, his lips were on hers. She kissed him back with equal fervor, her tongue slipping out to ask for access to his mouth. He granted her entrance, holding her close as she lay on her back. His knee went between her legs, his hands on either side of her head, as they made out like horny teens. Neither wanted to pull away, but had to due to need for oxygen. They stared at each other with the same primal need. Like they would die on the spot if they were separated at that moment. Reluctantly, Sheldon pulled away so he could check on his toppled computer. It was perfectly safe.

"You know, I've never been that close intimately with another human being before," he commented.

"Well, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did."

"Guessing you're speaking in a manner in which you enjoyed it greatly, I did. If you are not, I apologize to the highest degree."

"The first one. Are you sure you've never done that before? You seem like a pro."

"I swear on my meemaw, he boost in confidence."

She giggled, and soon he was laughing too. The feeling of any tenseness in the air evaporated. They heard the door creak and turned to see Penny peeking in.

"Just making sure he hadn't turned into the Joker and killed you," she assured as if it was normal.

"Thank you for being worried about her well being, now please go away."

Penny put her hands up in surrender and shut the door.

"You have some interesting friends, but at least they care about you; Better than my friends."

"That's obtuse. Surely you have many friends who care about you?"

"Contrary, actually; I have you and Violet. Mostly because she's the one who mentored me. Most people just want to sleep with me or use me for personal gain."

He cringed at the sadness behind those beautiful eyes. It hurt him to think of how lonely she must be. As reserved as he may seem, Sheldon was aware of the need for companionship. It was hard to fathom someone as sweet as Lily not having friends. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice her speaking.

"-But you make me feel not as lonely."

"I feel the same way."

I can't imagine how it must feel to be so smart, yet be surrounded by imbeciles."

"It's difficult, but I manage to survive."

She smiled, and then glanced at her watch.

"I should probably be going now. I have work tomorrow."

"Okay, I will show you out."

The exited his room, making their way to the living room. All eyes were immediately on them. He was about to ask why, when he saw Amy sitting on the couch. She was wearing a very flattering dress and her hair was shorter. One could even say she looked beautiful. Her eyes darted between Sheldon and Lily quickly.

"Hello Amy," he sighed softly.

"Hi Sheldon. Why haven't you returned my calls?"

"I've been…busy."

"With what?"

He glanced at his girlfriend and the neuroscientist's eyes widened.

"Oh, I see. How interesting."

She stood up and he moved slightly in front of Lily, as if to protect her. She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, standing beside him. Amy looked her up and down, and then giggled. Not in humor, but in mocking disgust.

"You replaced me with _her_? I thought you had better taste," she sneered.

"Amy-"

"Don't 'Amy' me! Did you really sink so low as to go out with this tramp?!"

Lily flinched slightly at this, but not without Sheldon's notice.

"That's enough. You've overstepped the boundary."

"Oh? Says the man who judges everyone on their intelligence and will tell a child they're stupid? So, tell me, why is _she_ so special?"

The word "she" was laced with venom and disgust. Eyes welling with tears, the model ran out.

"For someone who claims to be bullied, you were really ugly."

Shooting her a single look of disappointment, he followed his girlfriend. But it was too late. She was already gone by the time he reached the front door.

_**Hey everybody! Sorry for taking FOREVER but I've had a lot to do with school and all. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and keep an eye out for more to come. Love ya!**_


	5. Chapter 5

After the fiasco, Sheldon found himself unable to reach Lily. His calls and texts went unanswered; Even Violet couldn't reach her!

"This is your fault," he snarled at his ex who had the audacity to stay after what she said.

"Sheldon, I've never seen this side of you. Maybe she _did_ do some good after all."

"Get out of my apartment. Now."

He wasn't sure if it was his tone or the look on his face, but she left like a bat out of hell. Shooting his friends a daggered glare, he stalked into his room. It still smelled of her. Taking a deep breath, he laid down and called the only person he could trust in this situation.

"Meemaw?"

"Well, howdy Moonpie," her sweet southern-accented voice replied, "Is everything okay?"

"No, actually. Meemaw, I found a girl I like. A lot."

"Oh Sheldon, that's great! I've been prayin' real hard for you. But why do you sound so down?"

"She got upset by something and left. And now, I can't reach her."

"Just leave her alone. She'll come around if you're patient."

"Okay, thank you," Sheldon relaxed a little bit.

"Anytime, Moonpie. And, when she comes back, y'all better bring her over to meet us."

` "I will. I love you, Meemaw."

"I love you too."

She hung up, leaving him feeling a bit better. His grandmother had never been wrong before and it was improbable to think she would be this time. Sheldon put his pajamas on, brushed his teeth, and finished his routine before laying down. He could hear the others going on, but didn't care. The phone buzzed, signaling a text.

_Violet: It's a girl!_

Attached was the ultrasound of his goddaughter. Violet and Stuart had chosen him to be the godfather of the child so that, in the event that something unfortunate were to happen upon them, their child would be safe. Sheldon had agreed completely despite his views on both religion and children. He would do anything for Violet. Smiling softly, he replied with his congratulations. A few minutes later, he received another message. This one was from Lily.

_Sorry for running, but I need some time to think. I will return when I'm done._

This was understandable and he decided not to push her. She would come back when she was ready. For now, he would have to sleep and hope for the best. Of course that just wasn't meant to be and he spent all night thinking. By the time he was tired enough to sleep, the sun had risen and Leonard was waking up. When it was time for them to leave, he popped his head into Sheldon's room.

"Are you okay?"

"IF you are asking about my physical well-being, yes. I am healthy. My emotional state, however, does not seem to be too good."

"I'm sorry buddy. Wanna stay home? I'll have Penny bring you over some lunch later."

"Thank you, but I don't feel like eating. Just go to work."

"Okay Sheldon. I hope you feel better."

He waved him away and went back to sulking. After lying in bed for a couple more hours, he finally decided to get up to shower. Unfortunately, while he was in there, he heard someone enter the apartment. It was too early for Penny to show up with lunch, so he knew it had to be a break-in. The intruder's footsteps crept down the hall, closer and closer to the bathroom until…

"BOO!"

Sheldon screamed like a woman as the shower curtain was ripped open by Violet. She laughed extremely hard, holding her bulging belly as she tried not to fall over. He glared her with not even a hit of amusement.

"Oh come on, it was funny and you know it!"

"Oh yes. Breaking into my house to scare the heck out of me is just the definition of a hoot and a half."

"It is when a 30 year old man screams in B minor and holds up his Darth Vader shampoo for protection."

He glanced down at his weapon and quickly set it aside. Then he got out, not caring if she saw him in the buff. It's not like she hadn't seen him like that when they were younger. She still looked away politely, though. Once he was fully clothed, they headed out to the living room. A small box sat on the couch. When he tilted his head, she gestured for him to open it. Not one to refuse a gift, he quickly obliged.

"I found her crying in my garden. She looks a bit too young to be away from her mommy."

Inside the box was a tiny black kitten that couldn't have been more than a week old. Beside her was a bottle and a canister of formula. He picked the kitten up to inspect her, finding that her eyes were still closed and she was incredibly thin. Sheldon gazed at Violet coolly.

"Why did you think it would be a good idea to give me this?"

"Because I know how lonely you get. Plus…Miko tried to eat her."

The kitten cried out hungrily and he tucked her in his pocket, instantly setting out to work on preparing her bottle. Reading the instructions once, he poured the exact amount for her estimated age into the tiny bottle and added warm water. Once it was shaken thoroughly, he tested the temperature and pulled her out for feeding. His friend smirked at him the entire time.

"And you wondered why I thought it was a good idea…"

"It is still a bad idea. Just because I can make a bottle doesn't mean I should have her."

"Yeah, but look at that face, how can you resist her?"

He looked down at the kitten cradled in his hand. Milk drizzled down her chin as she suckled at the rubber teat eagerly. A smile crept across his face at the endearing sight. Sighing in resignation, he nodded.

"Okay, I'll keep her. Thank you for the gift, Kolbe."

"No problem, Shelly. I figured you needed someone to keep you company. Especially with how your, so-called friends treat you…"

"They've gotten better."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. They still piss me off though."

"Kolbe, please relax. You need to keep your blood pressure down."

She took a deep breath, shoulders sagging as she tried to relax. Then she giggled.

"Apparently the baby feels the same."

"I'd hope so…mind if I feel?"

Violet shook her head, gesturing for him to feel. Sheldon, still feeding the kitten with one hand, knelt eagerly to touch her stomach. The skin was hard and taught beneath his hand. A series of tiny kicks could be felt. A rare, non-awkward, grin crossed his face. Normally he would have been frightened, even appalled by the idea of an unborn creature moving inside another person; this was mostly due to the Alien franchise. But, for some reason he couldn't explain, he couldn't feel anything but love for this child. The kitten squeaked softly, alerting him that it was done eating. He pulled the bottle away, then patted its back with two fingers to burp it. All the while, his best friend watched with great interest.

Once the kitten had been taken care of, he placed her back in the box with a heating pad set on low.

"So, what are you going to name her?"

"I was thinking Sigourney. After the greatest sci-fi movie actress of all time."

"Why don't you name her Ripley then?"

"Then people may think I named her after the children's books. I guess you're right though."

"I usually am. Now, I've gotta go, but I'll see you later."

"Okay, Kolbe."

She gave him an awkward hug and hurried out, passing Penny on the way. The blonde held up a bag of Chinese food as she entered the apartment.

"Feeding time!"

"I can see that. Did you get orange chicken?"

"Yes."

"Fried rice, not white?"

"Yes."

"Crab Rangoon?"

"Uh…no. But I can go pick some up if you want."

Sighing softly, he moved Ripley's box to the arm of the couch and sat down to eat. He was too tire to start anything right now. Penny stared in shock.

"What?"

"Aren't you going to do anything?"

"Penny, I did not have the energy to go to work. Do you think I have any to waste on your forgetfulness?"

"You're right. I'll just eat."

They ate in silence for a while, the only sound being their chopsticks scraping occasionally. Once they finished, Penny had to go back to work, but told him to call if he needed anything. Sheldon was then left alone again. At least now he had a friend to help fend of the dark thoughts. Smiling, he picked up the box and left to pick up supplies for her.

_**I am so, so, so sorry for taking so long. I had half of this chapter finished, but couldn't figure out where to take it. I really hope you guys liked it. Thank you for reading! ~TLR**_


	6. Chapter 6

Sheldon returned home after a day of shopping to find all of his friends waiting in the living room.

"He's here now. Sorry to bother you," Leonard, who was on his phone, murmured before hanging up. "Where have you been?!"

"Shopping. Why?"

"I came home and you were gone. Why haven't you been answering your phone?"

"I must've left it on my dresser. Oh well, sorry for worrying you."

Nodding to each of them, he headed to his room. There he emptied his purchases onto the bed and pulled Ripley from his pocket. According to the vet, she was a week old and dehydrated. She wriggled a bit before lying flat with her legs spread out. He chuckled and stroked her ear with his fingertip. A tiny purr of bliss vibrated from her chest, making him even happier. A buzzing came from his dresser, alerting him of his phone.

"Oh yeah…"

Sheldon grabbed it off the dresser and glanced at the screen. There were six missed calls and 12 text messages. The calls were all from his friends, as were 10 of the texts. However, there were two from Lily. The first was from an hour prior and it read: "_I'm sorry for running off. Can we get dinner? We need to talk._" The second one, received 30 seconds ago, read: "_I guess not. Okay, I won't bug you anymore. Goodbye." _Panicking, he hit the call button. It picked up on the second ring.

"Hey! I'm glad you called," that angelic voice he had come to love sang on the other side.

"Of course I did. Does the offer still stand?"

"Yeah, sure! Anywhere specific?"

"Is Golden Dragon okay?"

"Okay. Meet there in an hour?"

"Sounds good to me."

"Okay then, bye."

"Bye," The line went dead and he whispered, "I love you."

Sheldon glanced down at his clothes. They were clean, as always, but he felt like wearing something nicer for Lily. After fifteen minutes of stressing out, he called in Penny for help. She helped him pick out a checkered short sleeve button down and brown slacks. With a Superman shirt underneath of course. Penny fawned over him like a mother sending her son to prom.

"It is really not a big deal."

"I know, but you look so handsome."

She turned to leave and he caught her shoulder.

"Wait! One more thing," He picked up Ripley, "Can you please watch her? She should be asleep until I return. If she wakes up though, you just need to feed her a bottle."

"Of course! It's so precious!"

"It's a girl and yes, so I expect that you will treat her as such."

"How would I make her a bottle though?"

"I already have one prepared. Just feed her, then pat her back with one of your manly fingers."

She rolled her eyes and delicately took the kitten from him. Sheldon smiled, feeling particularly happy today.

"Thank you Penny."

The blond gawked, then beamed all the way to the living room. By the time he was done getting ready, 45 minutes had passed.

"Better early than late."

After bidding farewell to everyone, including Ripley, he left for his date with an angel. He entered the restaurant on time and got a table. Lily arrived a few minutes later and sit across from him, sagging against the seat. Even with dark circles under her eyes, she looked like an angel. A waiter took their orders and hurried off, leaving them alone to speak.

"Good evening, Lily."

"Good evening, Sheldon. How are you?"

"I am well. And yourself?"

"I've been… I've been better. Thank you for coming to see me on such short notice."

"It is no problem at all. Is everything alright?"

She sighed softly, taking a sip from her water glass. Then she looked at him seriously.

"Sheldon, we need to address the elephant in the room. I'm sorry for running away. It's just… she struck a nerve and I needed time to collect myself."

"It's perfectly understandable. What Amy said was unforgivable and you had every right to be offended."

"Oh, I wasn't offended. I was… frightened."

"How so?"

Well," She played with her fingers nervously, "It was what she asked, about what makes me so special. And I have had my quandaries as well about that. What does make me so special that you chose me?"

Sheldon sat back for a moment to think about the proper response. Then he smiled slyly.

"You."

"Huh?"

"You make you special. You aren't fake to me. You are a real person. In a personal sense, of course. It's obvious that you are real physically since we haven't perfected andr-"

His rambling was silenced with a kiss. One that had been on his mind since she walked out the previous night. He kissed her back eagerly, only breaking it when the waiter coughed in annoyance. They blushed, thanking him for the food before digging in. Neither of them looked up the entire time they ate. The sound of chopsticks clicking was the only thing that filled the awkward silence between them. Unable to bear it any longer, Sheldon set his utensils down.

"Lily, are you free next week?"

"I believe so. Why?"

"I would like to take you somewhere. Do you mind long distance travel?"

"That depends where…"

"Texas. Houston specifically. Would you mind coming with me to visit my family?"

"Oh Sheldon, I'd be honored! A-are you sure you want me to?"

"I'm positive. I want to introduce you to my meemaw."

Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears of what he assumed to be joy and he smiled softly. Even on the verge of crying, she was gorgeous. He was really lucky to have caught the eye of such a wonderful woman. The finished eating and, after an amazing goodnight kiss, went their separate ways. The physicist arrived home to find his friends watching Ripley sleep. Sighing, he scooped her up and retired to his room. After placing her in her box, he changed into his pajamas and checked his messages. There was one from Lily.

_Thank you for the wonderful night. I love you._

He read it twice to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. Then he froze with all the thoughts rushing around at once. Should he play it cool? Should he pour his heart out? There were so many possible ways that this could turn out. Taking a deep breath, he took the simplest route.

_You're welcome. I love you too._

Collapsing against his bed, he let all of the lost rest from the past week wash over at once and quickly fell asleep.

-_**Five Days Later-**_

"Left here."

It was now the day of departure and Leonard was driving Sheldon to pick up Lily on the way to the train station. They pulled into the parking lot of a humble apartment complex and he sent text. She exited the building holding a purple duffle bag, which he quickly got out to help her tuck into the trunk. After a chaste kiss, they got in the car and were once again headed off toward the train station. A little while later, they were on the train in neighboring seats.

"Wake me up when we get there, okay?" She mumbled, resting her head on his shoulder.

Sheldon nodded, smiling down at her. She closed her eyes and he noticed for the first time that her eyelashes brushed her cheeks. He also noticed that her lips formed a perfect kissing shape when relaxed. Hoping it wouldn't wake her, he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. Lily didn't awaken, so he smiled secretively and stared out the window. Buildings passed by as they left the city behind in anticipation of the trip that was ahead.

_**Please don't hate me. I've just had horrible writers block and ran out of ideas! ~TLR**_


	7. Chapter 7

Upon arrival in Houston, Sheldon did as instructed and woke Lily up. He did so by kissing her eyelids delicately.

"Wake up, we're here."

Her eyelids fluttered for a moment before opening, revealing doe-like orbs that were glazed over with sleep. She smiled softly and stretched.

"Hm?"

"We have arrived in Houston."

"Oh, okay."

Almost childishly, she toddled over to where their bags were being held and picked up her duffel bag. Sheldon smiled and took it from her, picking up his own bag as well. They headed out onto the platform and were met by his mother. She looked appraisingly at Lily, nodding to herself. Once they were close enough, she smiled.

"Shelly! I hope you had a safe trip, as I prayed you would. And you must be his new girlfriend."

"Yes ma'am, I'm Lily. Nice to meet you."

"So polite," she smiled approvingly at Sheldon, "I like her already."

This relaxed him a bit. At least he knew that one of the women in his family would like her. Now all he had to worry about the most important person… They got into his mother's car, sitting together in the back seat, and headed off toward her home. Mary kept stealing glances at them in the rearview mirror as she drove. Eventually this caught notice from Sheldon and he stared back impatiently.

"Yes?"

"I just can't get over how pretty she is! And wholesome too. Not like that Penny girl your little friend is engaged to."

He gave Lily, who was too enthralled in the new sights to notice their conversation, a once-over and shrugged. She was wearing what she usually wore: Jeans and a t-shirt that flattered her figure. Her hair was in a high ponytail that left her slender neck exposed. Smiling mischievously, he kissed directly below her ear. She squeaked softly and a light blush ghosted over her cheeks. His mother's eyes narrowed disapprovingly at such antics. Of course, she wasn't without sin either so she held her tongue. It was a well-known fact that he had no qualms about airing her dirty laundry if she crossed him.

They arrived at the house shortly after and were greeted at the door by Missy. She eyed Lily the same way their mother had, but seemed less satisfied. If anything, she looked a bit threatened by the model's appearance. Her scrutiny continued when they reached the door.

"Hello Sheldon, nice seeing you again. And you must be Lily," she greeted with fake enthusiasm, "I must say, you are nothing like I thought you'd look."

"Hello Missy, you are looking well. How is your family?"

"Good. I'm actually heading back home now. I just stopped by to meet your girlfriend."

"Well, here she is. She exists. You may leave now."

She scowled, but reluctantly went to her car and drove away. They continued on into the house, the smell of food wafting through the air.

"It smells wonderful in here, Mrs. Cooper," Lily said softly.

"Why thank you, sweetheart. I thought you kids might be hungry after such a long trip and threw something together. Meemaw should be home soon, so we'll eat when she gets here. Just make yourself comfortable while you wait."

"Come on Lily, I'll show you my room."

Sheldon nodded to his mother respectfully before leading Lily down the hall by her hand. He led her into his childhood room, setting their bags down neatly by the door. She looked around with a soft smile.

"It's like a smaller scale version of your room back home."

"I like consistency. I tried to keep my room as identical to this one as possible, with a few variations added much later on."

She sat down on the bed, leaning back on her hands casually. He smirked to himself at this.

"I never thought I'd have a girl in my bed."

"Ever?"

"Young me wasn't interested in girls, remember?"

"Oh, right," she giggled softly at her own forgetfulness.

He leaned forward to kiss her, gently pushing her on her back. Their fingers interlocked, held above her head. A soft cough alerted them to a presence at the door. They glanced up in surprise, immediately catching sight of an elderly woman. She was short and stout with curly white hair, a scowl upon her face. Sheldon immediately jumped up and ran to pick her up in a hug. The woman smiled, quickly returning his embrace.

"Oh Moonpie, I've missed you like the sun misses the moon."

"I missed you too Meemaw!"

They laughed, hugging for a little longer before he set her down.

"So, are you gonna tell me who this lovely girl you were slobberin' all over is or not?"

"Well," he started, blushing a deep shade of scarlet. "Meemaw, I would like you to meet my girlfriend. Lily, this is my Meemaw."

The model stood, keeping her head bowed respectfully while she held her hand out for a handshake. Much to her surprise, she was pulled into a vicelike hug by the old lady. She was released only to be held out at arm's length for inspection.

"Let me get a good look at you," she said softly.

Lily stood still, doing as she was told. It wasn't long before a proud grin spread across Meemaw's face.

"The girl you picked is pretty as a picture, Moonpie. And I can tell you love her dearly."

"Thank you for the compliment."

"You're welcome. You have my blessing. Just, don't pull any more disappearing acts. My baby ain't no plaything."

"I know and I won't run away again. I learned my lesson."

"Good. Let's go eat. I'm starved!"

She walked down the hall, an air of grace surrounding her. Sheldon didn't hesitate to catch his girlfriend in a sweet kiss. It was returned with the same amount of eagerness. Reluctantly, she pulled away and started down the hall. Her boyfriend trailed behind like a puppy dog. They went into the kitchen where his grandmother and mother were waiting. Fried chicken, potato wedges, biscuits, and greens were laid out on the table. The couple sat down and quickly dug into the grand feast. While they ate, the older women exchanged glances.

"So," Meemaw started. "When can I be expectin' some great-grandbabies?"

Lily choked and started coughing violently while Sheldon patted her back.

"What? What did I say?"

"Meemaw, we haven't even had coitus yet. Let alone considered the possibility of children!"

"Well I'm sorry Shelly. I just assumed by the way you guys were slobberin'-"

"I am not Missy or George. I have self-control…"

"I know, I know. I must apologize to you as well Lily."

"It's quite alright ma'am. I understand your worries."

"Thank you. You know Moonpie, you could learn from this girl."

"I already have Meemaw," he said with a soft smile. "I've learned a lot."

Lily blushed, sipping her soda nervously. Once they finished eating, he bid both his elders goodnight and led her to his room. They laid down on his bed together, her curled up in his arms. His long fingers ran through her hair as he gazed down at her. She smiled back, leaning into his chest. Their breathing was perfectly in sync as they enjoyed this peaceful moment alone. Unfortunately, it couldn't stay that way because something was gnawing at Sheldon's brain.

"If you don't mind me asking, what is your opinion on children?"

"I-I don't know…"

"Are you against ever having them or…?"

"I mean, I'd like to have them one day. Just not right now."

"That's all I wanted to know. Thank you for being so polite toward my grandmother."

"It's was really no big deal. She is so sweet!"

He nodded in agreement, smiling at her compliment. His biggest fears were vanquished for the moment, but new ones quickly arose. Would his Meemaw live to see great-grandbabies? Would Lily be ready? Even if she was, would he be? Sure, he had the financial capability and drive, but he was still a child maturity wise. He wore a pair of Hulk hands on a date for crying out loud! Movement from beside his chest snapped him back to reality and he looked down once more. Lily's arms were around him, her head against his sternum.

"Relax," she mumbled. "You have plenty of time to worry about offspring later."

"How'd you-"

"I could read your body language, Sheldon. Just relax and sleep with me. Then, tomorrow, I'd like it if you showed me around town."

A soft smile of resignation spread across his face and he whispered one thing before falling asleep with his living dream.

"Okay my love. Sweet dreams."

_**Sorry for taking so long everyone. I've been busy with school and trying to perfect Meemaw. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Your reviews help encourage me to do better.**_


	8. Chapter 8

Sheldon woke up the following morning empty armed. A feeling in the pit of his stomach made him wonder if Lily had left, but this quickly disappeared when he heard laughter from the kitchen. He ran out and discovered his grandmother showing her pictures of when he was young. They were currently on his first bath.

"And there's Shelly's cute little tushy."

"He doesn't look very happy."

"Oh, he's always been like that. He don't like bein' touched."

She nodded in understanding, seeming to take note of that. He decided to swoop in before he was embarrassed further. Smiling, he hugged Lily gently from behind.

"Good morning. I trust you slept well."

"Morning. Meemaw was just showing me your baby pictures. You were so cute!"

He chuckled softly, pecking her cheek before pouring himself a bowl of cereal. They discussed their plans for the day while he ate.

"I was thinking about giving Lily a tour of the town today. She requested it last night."

"Okay Moonpie. When you're done, bring her back over here. Your brother and sister are comin' over for dinner."

He grimaced and Meemaw patted his back sympathetically. His girlfriend stood, announced that she was going to get dressed, and headed down the hall. Once he was done eating, Sheldon heard the bathroom door close and went to his room to get dressed as well. Immediately he was met with a pair of large, perfectly symmetrical, breasts. Lily didn't seem to notice his intrusion and reached down to pick up a sports bra from her bag. As she was pulling it on, she saw him and squeaked in surprise.

"Sheldon?! What the heck are you doing?"

"I-I-I…."

Unable to speak, he slammed the door and sank down against the wall beside it. His hands covered his face in embarrassment. A couple minutes later, she emerged from the room in a yellow tank top that contrasted greatly with her beet red face. He peeked up at her through his fingers, mortified at what he had just seen. Not regretful though; not one bit. The sight had confirmed exactly what he expected- she was perfect. She smiled feebly and knelt so they were eye-to-eye.

"I am so sorry, Lily. A gentleman should never gaze upon a lady in such a state of undress."

"It's really okay, Sheldon. You were bound to see something eventually."

"Are you sure?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, we're going to be together for a while, right?"

His heart sped up a little at this. Grinning like a fool, he hugged her tightly. She wrapped her arms around him in confusion.

"You make me so happy."

"You make me happy too. Now go get dressed so we can go!"

Sheldon kissed her forehead before going into his room to change. After pulling on a Green Arrow t-shirt and khakis, he grabbed Lily and went outside.

"It's such a nice day, I thought we could walk around town."

"Okay. That sounds great!"

She held his hand tight, swinging their arms as they walked. He pointed out spot from his childhood and places he used to hang out with Violet at when they were kids. A fat man with red hair was sitting on his porch and he ducked his head down, hurrying past. Lily ran to keep up. Once they were around a corner, she pulled away.

"What the heck?!"

"Sorry, that man used to bully me when we were children and I didn't want him to recognize me."

"Why? What is he gonna do? You're adults now, so it's not like he can beat you up!"

He felt a flush creep up his neck at this. She had a point, he wasn't a kid anymore.

"If anything, you should be proud! You're a highly accomplished physicist with a girl who's under 200 pounds."

Another good point. Grinning, he picked her up and twirled her around. She giggled sweetly, holding his face as they kissed. He set her back down and they kept walking. Their first stop was a comic book shop. The owner and patrons stared, something they were very used to by now. He looked at comics while she inspected a few cute hats.

"What do you think?" He heard her ask from behind his back.

He turned around and she made his heart stall for a moment. She was holding a Harley Quinn-esque oversized pistol and wearing a pink cat-eared hat.

"Bang."

A little flag came out and he smirked, stepping forward. She put her hands up in surrender.

"You little fool. The Joker doesn't love anything except himself. Wake up, Harleen. He had you pegged for hired help the minute you walked into Arkham."

"That's not - no. NO! He told me things, secret things that he never told anyone!"

Sheldon backed her into a corner before kissing her deeply. She kissed back, hands in his hair, leg on his thigh. They were like this for what seemed like an eternity until they had to breathe. When he turned around, all eyes in the shop were on them. Lily blushed in embarrassment, but he put an arm around her and walked to the counter. He paid for his comics and her cosplay stuff with a look that dared the bystanders to say anything. Then he grabbed their bag and left with his arm still around her. A look of wonder filled her eyes.

"That was amazing."

"What was?"

"How cool you acted!"

"It was nothing, honestly."

Rolling her eyes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him chastely. Then she took his hand once again so they could continue their tour. Their next stop was an ice cream shop that his Meemaw used to take him to when he was younger. The interior was decked out like a 50's diner, with checked floors and a jukebox. Elvis memorabilia hung all over the place. He led her to a booth by the window and they each took a seat. A young lady with a tall beehive took their order, a hot fudge sundae to share, and teetered away. Lily looked around with a huge grin on her face. This made him smile too and soon they were laughing like idiots.

"W-What's so funny?"

"I don't know…"

The waitress returned with their ice cream and two spoons, nose crinkled in distaste. Sheldon let Lily take the first bite, then dug in. They finished in no time at all. While he was cleaning up, she pointed at him.

"What?"

"You missed a spot."

"Where?"

Smirking, she dotted his cheek with whipped cream. He was taken aback by her boldness, but recovered quickly and prepared for vengeance. She grinned and licked it off, stunning him once more. While he sat completely frozen, she paid for lunch. This quickly shook him from his stasis. Sighing sharply, he led her outside by the hand. They walked for several minutes in complete silence. Every time she tried to speak, he would shush her. Eventually they reached an old park with a see-saw and swings. He sat down on a swing and let it move by itself. Lily sat beside him with a worried frown.

"Sheldon, what's wrong?"

"Why do you insist on emasculating me?"

"Huh?"

"You flustered me so you could pay for our ice cream. Why?"

"Because you wouldn't have let me pay otherwise."

"This is supposed to be a date. A gentleman never lets a lady pay on a date."

"This is a date?"

"Yes! I had an entire day planned," He put his head in his hands, trying to piece everything back together. "Lily, I run on a very strict schedule. Everything I do is planned. And, when you do something like that, it destroys everything.

Smiling halfheartedly, she hugged him from behind. He looked up at her, head resting on her chest. She stroked his cheek with one thumb.

"Give me five dollars."

"What?"

"If you told me we were on a date, I would've let you pay. This will balance out everything."

"That's…actually quite logical."

He quickly took his wallet out and handed her a five. She took it gently, placing it in her shirt. Snorting softly in amusement, he led her to their final activity for the day. A group of men hung out outside of a local bar; All of which used to bully Sheldon. The physicist walked right up to them with a smirk on his face. Lily hid behind him, peeking over his shoulder timidly. The men looked hard at him before breaking into sneers.

"If isn't little Shelly Cooper."

"Your sister told me you became a rocket scientist."

"What? Too good to work here like the rest of us?"

"Frankly, yes, I believe so," He replied smugly. "And I'm a physicist, not a rocket scientist. You simian."

"What did you just call me?!"

"A simian. You should be happy, you're one step up from Neanderthal."

"Oh, you're gonna get it nerd…"

"Sorry I couldn't stay and chat, but my girlfriend and I must be leaving now."

At the word "girlfriend', the men looked around frantically. She stepped out from behind him, taking his arm and glaring at the men. They stared in disbelief.

"Are you done now? I think Meemaw is expecting us."

"Yes, we may go. Later gentlemen.

She nodded to them and started down the sidewalk, confidence radiating from every inch of her tall frame. Throwing the men one last smirk, Sheldon took off after her. He decided then that he would follow her to the end of the Earth if need be, for she was the only woman that he could ever want. Fortunately, it was only to the end of the block. They smiled at each other brightly and headed back to his house for dinner. Upon arrival, they were met by an odd set of words.

"There's lil' Shelly! An' who's the pretty young thing on yer' arm?"


	9. Chapter 9

Sheldon stared warily as the biggest bane of his childhood leered at his girlfriend. George Jr. looked a bit like a taller, heavier version of himself that the ladies of the town swooned over.

"Hello George, pleasure seeing you," he managed to say quickly.

"Oh, don' be such a prude, Shelly."

Smirking, he stood and engulfed his younger brother in a bone-crushing hug. He set him down after a minute, then turned to Lily with an outstretched hand. A strange look, similar to that of concentration, fell upon his face. She shook his hand firmly and retreated to Sheldon's side.

"An' you mus' be Lily. Meemaw told me you were a pretty one, but I di'nt realize how pretty."

"Thank you very much."

"Say, you look familiar."

"Well, she is a model. You probably saw her in an ad."

"Yeah, that mus' be it. It'll come ta me later."

He wandered into the living room to watch football and they went to his room to put away their purchases. Then they watched Star Trek: Nemesis for the remainder of the time before dinner. When they left the room, Missy was waiting on the couch with a baby in her arms. A tall, muscular man with blonde hair sat beside her. She eyed Lily warily, scowling when her boyfriend eagerly standing to greet Lily.

"Hey there little lady, I'm Brett."

"Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine."

The group headed into the dining room where a large spread was set out at the table. Meemaw made her plate, then allowed them to go wild. Lily attempted to wriggle her way in and was tossed aside like a runt. Smiling apologetically, Sheldon helped her by pushing her to the front and standing behind her like a shield. She fit so perfectly under his frame that her rested his chin on her while he made his plate, arms reaching around her with ease. His sister glared disdainfully at their closeness. Fortunately, she held her tongue. They headed back into the living room to watch football once they were finished. While the game went on, the women (with the exception of Lily) clucked amongst themselves.

"So, Lily," Missy said saccharinely, "What is it you saw in my successful, doctor of a brother anyway?"

"Missy…"

"I'm being serious here, Shelly. She is a model, so why in the world would she want to date you."

Lily smirked and he knew that something was about to go down.

"Didn't you know, Missy? Pretty people stay together."

"What are you talking about?"

Sheldon looked at his girlfriend and saw a mischievous glint in her eye. He bit back a laugh, excusing himself to the restroom so he wouldn't be dragged into any argument that may occur if he did chuckle. On his way back to the living room, he was pulled roughly into his brother's old room. George immediately shoved a magazine in his face.

"I figured out where've seen 'er."

He looked down at the magazine that was now in his hands and his hear dropped. There, as the centerfold, was Lily. She wore a white nightgown with a fluffy white skirt that reached mid-thigh. The top was almost completely transparent and trimmed with feathers. She was draped over a chaise lounge with a large lollipop in her head, eyes staring lustfully into the camera. If he wasn't so livid, Sheldon probably would've had to meditate intensely to discourage any unwanted bodily functions.

"Miss April 2009."

"Why are you showing me this?" he hissed, holding his head.

"So you know just who you're with. With that said, when can I have a-"

Sheldon's hands were around his throat before he could finish. Now, George was much larger and stronger, but he was no match for his brother's intelligence. He swung and the younger moved, grabbing a lamp as he did. Before he could register what was about to happen, it was brought down on his head. He yelled in pain and the women rushed in.

"What the heck is goin' on in here?!"

"Sheldon! Get offa him!"

He turned to look at them, eyes immediately landing on Lily. Her eyes were locked on the discarded magazine. Sheldon scrambled to get off of his brother and she took off. Ignoring his mother's calls, he chased her to his room. She was hurriedly packing her duffel bag, her back to him.

"Where are you going?"

"Home. I need to go."

"Alright, I'll advance our tickets."

"No! No, I'll go quietly," she half-whispered, voice cracking at the end.

Slightly confused by this development, he turned her around. Her eyes were filled with tears. He held her to his chest and she sobbed, going limp. Sobs wracked her frame as she cried hard, soaking his shirt. Sheldon just held her, swaying gently. Inside, his mind was almost shorting out from then emotions he was feeling. Agony, embarrassment, sympathy- things he had rare experience with if any at all.

"I-I was in college. My parents wouldn't help me and I n-needed money. It was only a one-time thing."

"Shh, it's okay. I've done things I'm not proud of either."

She looked at him skeptically as if doubting the sincerity of his words. Smiling softly, he whispered in her ear.

"When I was in college, I would write papers for other people in exchange for money to buy comic books. I was once given 500$ to write a tenure proposal for a professor."

"That's not as bad as what I did."

"Lily, you did the same thing I did – you used your assets to get people of lower intelligence to give you money."

"True… Isn't it still bad to take advantage of them?"

"How so? They're happy, we're happy, where is it bad?"

Giggling, she hugged him around the waist. He held her close with a small smile. There was a small knock at the door and they glanced over to see Meemaw watching them passively. Before Lily could begin another torrent of apologies, the old woman hugged her tightly. She hugged her back shyly. When the hug was over, she held the younger woman out with a grin.

"Ma'am, I'm so-"

"Oh hush now. I honestly could give a rats behind about that magazine. The past is the past. I'm just so happy about what you've done for Sheldon."

"What?"

"You gave him the strength to stand up to his biggest bully and win! Now, I don't condone fighting, but George Jr. has needed that for a long time."

Smiling, Sheldon wrapped his arm around Lily, pulling her close. Meemaw nodded in approval.

"I don't care what my daughter says, you two are perfect together and I approve."

He grinned proudly, grabbing his grandmother in a hug. She smiled and hugged him back tightly.

"Alright," She chuckled once he set her down, "Let's go back to the living room so we can settle this nonsense."

The couple followed her to the living room where everyone was waiting. George Jr. scowled, holding a bag of peas to his head while Missy glared at them. Sheldon's mother stood up, frowning at her youngest son.

"Shelly, how could you hit your brother with a lamp?"

"He had it coming!"

"For what? Exposing your hussy's dirty little secret."

He felt Lily tense and held her hand a little tighter. She looked up at him remorsefully. Taking a deep breath, stepped forward.

"Mother, I would appreciate it if you didn't refer to Lily that way."

"And I would appreciate if she didn't hide things that could jeopardize your career. What if you win the Nobel Prize and it gets out that you're dating a porn star?"

"Then I'd be hailed as the luckiest winner of all time," he said simply.

"Don't get smart with me."

"You want to see me getting smart with you? I'll show you smart, you hypocrite."

"Whatever do you mean?'

"You preach good faith and morals, yet you're just as bad as anyone. You had a failed, bitter marriage that only ended because dad had a heart attack. And that happened because, after the doctor told you that he would be dead in a year if you kept feeding him fried food, you fed him twice as much!"

"Are you trying to say I killed your father?"

"You sure didn't try to prevent it. Face it, you're a bitter old woman who is only acting like this because you're jealous. Jealous that your son has a happier relationship than you ever did with a girl more attractive than you ever were."

Mary's eyes filled with tears and he knew he had gotten to her.

_Good…_

He turned to Meemaw and she nodded, obviously understanding what was coming next.

"Lily and I will be going home to Pasadena now. This was a lovely visit and I hope to see you soon, Meemaw."

"Of course Moonpie. I'll give you a lift to the station."

"Thank you."

With one last curt nod to his family, Sheldon led Lily back into his room to pack. As he packed, he felt her arms circle his torso and her palms lay flat on his chest. He relaxed a little under her touch. She nuzzled his shoulder gently, the stress from everything weighing heavily upon her. Sighing, he turned around to hold her. His fingers combed her dark tresses gently. Her hands moved to his back and pulled him closer. They stayed like that for a while before going back to packing up. Once they were finished, he placed the bags in Meemaw's trunk and got in the car. Meemaw hopped in and started toward the train station.

"I really hope my daughter didn't give you a bad impression of the family. I loved having you."

"No worries, she didn't. It was a pleasure meeting you."

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine."

Sheldon smiled softly at their polite banter. The only other woman whose opinion he valued liked his girlfriend and he was over the moon. Their friendly chatter continued until they reached the station. There, they both gave Meemaw a huge hug and left for their train. It was half an hour before boarding, so they settled down in their seats to wait. He smiled at her apologetically and she giggled.

"If waiting bugged me, I never would've found you."

_**So sorry it took so long. I've had back to back essays and tests to do. I hope you all enjoyed reading!**_


	10. Chapter 10

A few days after the incident in Houston, Sheldon found himself pacing the lobby of a hospital. Violet had gone into labor earlier that morning and was experiencing a few complications. The baby was breached and they were worried that it may suffer brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. Stuart was a complete nervous wreck, but he stayed strong and held his wife's hand tight. After eight hours of pacing, a nurse finally came out to get him. She helped him suit up in sterile clothes, then led him into the room. Stuart was pale, but grinning proudly, and Violet lay in the bed looking fatigued. In her arms was a tinny pink blanket. He knelt beside her bed to get a better look, eyes widening at the sight of the baby's mess of black curls.

"Her name is Victoria Shelly Bloom and she's absolutely perfect."

He stared incredulously at Stuart and he shrugged, smiling sheepishly.

"I got to choose her first name, she got to choose the middle. I think it's quite fitting though."

"M-May I?" he whispered, holding his arms out.

"Of course."

Violet placed Victoria in his arms and helped him properly position her body. Her eyes opened a little, looking at him for a moment before closing again. He smiled and kissed her forehead delicately. This was the first baby he had ever held before. Even his sister's son was met with adamant resistance on his part. But, for whatever insane reason, this felt right.

"She likes him," Stuart chuckled, kissing Violet's cheek.

"Why wouldn't she? He'll be the best godfather in the world."

Ignoring their comments, Sheldon stroked her cheek. Someone touched his arm and he looked up to see Lily smiling softly. He smiled back, blushing at being caught in such a vulnerable position. She kissed his cheek.

"You look so natural, Sheldon."

"I agree," Violet piped up.

He handed the baby back to her mother and rose from his seat.

"As much as I love the hospital, I should go. I've been here for eight hours and you guys probably want time alone."

"Okay, Shelly. See you later!"

He hugged the grinning parents, kissed Victoria's forehead once more, and then left with Lily. His goofy smile lasted the whole way to the car. She had actually come with him in the morning, but had errands to run so she took his car. Now they climbed in with him in the driver's seat, heading to his office at the university. Despite the obvious despair the other members had over his return, he needed to work; His work had gone neglected long enough. Lily was tagging along because she had always wanted to see where he worked. They drove to the university and went in hand-in-hand. Upon entering his office, Sheldon discovered that his desk had been covered entirely in sticky notes. Fluorescent pink sticky notes. Sighing softly, he set to work peeling them off one by one. She knelt beside him to do the same.

"You don't have to help."

"I want to."

He smiled softly, sticking one to her forehead. She retaliated by sticking another to his forehead. They smirked mischievously at each other and began sticking them all over their bodies. When they were done, Lily was covered entirely except for her eyes and mouth while he was only covered halfway. She laughed hard at this, alerting his colleagues in the surrounding rooms. Barry leaned against the doorway, taking pictures. Sheldon spotted him first and sighed softly.

"Hello, Kripke…"

"Well, well, well. It wooks wike you made a fwiend from my little pwesent."

"Oh, right. This is Lily. Lily, this is Barry Kripke."

"Hi."

She waved and Barry's eyes widened, as if he was surprised there was a girl under the cloak of paper. The couple peeled off the sticky notes and put them in a box for recycling. Once she was unveiled, Kripke smirked and leaned against the desk. Her boyfriend eyed him warily.

"Well, hewwo gorgeous."

"Hello?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you'we smokin'?"

"Mhm, many people… I punched them in the teeth."

Sheldon smiled inwardly at her sharpness. She made it very clear that she was not to be reckoned with. But, alas, the rival physicist was not deterred.

"Aww, don't be wike that. How about we ditch this woozer and get wunch?"

"I'm afraid I don't quite understand your accent."

"I said, how about we ditch-"

"There it is again. That word is not in my vocabulary. So, if you would be a peach and take a flying leap, that'd be great."

His face turned bright red and he stormed off. This left Sheldon able to pick Lily up in a tight embrace with no interruption. She hugged him back, smiling. They stayed like that for a few moments before going back to organizing, a task that took the better part of a half hour. Her phone buzzed, prompting her to glance at it and sigh softly. This action did not go unnoticed by Sheldon. He looked at her curiously, but she waved it off as an annoying coworker. Believing her, he asked if she would like to go to lunch.

"I would love to," she smiled, holding his hand.

They walked down to the cafeteria, earning a few odd looks, and got their food. They got the same thing, taking adjacent seats at his usual table. Howard and Rajesh paused their conversation to greet them, then resumed talking about how superheroes. Leonard joined them a few minutes later, sitting beside Howard, who was across from Raj and Lily. He greeted the couple as well before joining the conversation. Lily watched them with great interest. It was almost cute.

"You can join in if you want. I'm sure they'd love a pretty girl to talk to."

"Nah, I'm sure they get that at home. Besides, I'm here for you!"

He smiled and touched her cheek in a simple, yet loving gesture. The other men silenced to watch.

"I am not a nature documentary, gentlemen," he sighed, "I can touch my girlfriend too."

She blushed and he couldn't figure out why. The others guffawed apishly, ruffling him more. What was so funny about him touching his girlfriend? It's not like he didn't do it all the time! Sighing heavily, he stood up with his food and threw it away before storming out. Lily had to run to keep up. When they reached his office, he shut the door firmly and sank down in his chair.

"I don't understand what they found so darn funny…"

"I'm only going to say this once," she replied, before stating in a sultry tone, "I like when you touch me."

He felt a dark blush flood his face, dark thought creeping in. Thoughts of her bent over his desk, begging. She noticed his change in demeanor and tapped his cheek.

"Sheldon, wake up."

"Huh?"

"You zoned out there for a second. Do you see what I meant though?"

"Uh, yeah. I see where my words could've been conveyed differently."

"Good."

Her phone buzzed again and she grimaced.

"Damn it…"

"If you need to go, you can. I won't hold it against you."

"You are a life saver! I love you!"

He grinned, taking her into his arms. Lily kissed him sweetly, smiling.

"I love you too," he whispered in her ear.

She blushed and, giving him one last squeeze, hurried out. Kripke entered a few moments later, much to the physicist's displeasure.

"Hey Cooper. I have to congratulate you on that stone cowd fox."

"Thank you. She is quite beautiful."

"How much are you paying fow her?"

Sheldon was shocked and enraged. How dare he ask something like that!

"Lily is not a prostitute."

"Of couwse she is," he replied with a wink, "Tell me, where can I meet one of her fwiends?"

"Barry, get out of my office. Now."

The other male's eyes widened and he put his hands up in surrender as he backed out. Then Sheldon's phone pinged to indicate a text.

"Oh what now?"

Checking it, he was horrified to see a picture sent by Penny. It was of Lily having lunch with another man at the Cheesecake Factory. They were grinning and she was holding his hand. Not even thinking about it, he bolted out of his office and to his car. As he sped to the restaurant, his mind filled with images of terrible scenarios. Her cheating, leaving, and hating him popped into his mind one after the other. Growling, he shook his head to clear the dark thoughts. There had to be another reason. Maybe he was her boss… but that doesn't explain the hand holding. He pulled up to the restaurant and jumped out, storming in. With a dark glower, he walked up to Lily. She glanced up at him and her smile faded.

"H-Hi…"


	11. Chapter 11

The look on Lily's face said everything. She was guilty. Her hand reached out to touch Sheldon and he snatched his arm away. His eyes were locked on the salt-and-pepper haired man sitting at the table, watching them. Slowly, the man stood to face him with his hand out.

"Hello, I'm-"

Not bothering to listen to him, Sheldon grabbed Lily and ran outside. Roughly, he dragged her down the street to his car. She struggled to pull her arm away from his vice grip.

"Sheldon, you're hurting me…"

"How could you?" he growled, refusing to look at her.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you where I was going, but I had a good reason. I didn't want to distract you from work…"

"Sure, that's the only reason. How long have you been seeing him Lily?"

"Wait, what?"

"It's obvious you're cheating on me. Or am _I _the other man?"

"Sheldon-"

"That's it, isn't it? You've been playing a game this whole time. I knew was too good to be true."

Crying out loudly, she punched him. Her fist landed dead against his jaw, catching him off guard. Tears streamed down her face and her chest heaved as she glared at him in pure disgust.

"How dare you! That man is my father!" she screamed.

"Y-your father?"

"Yes. That's why I was so reluctant to answer my phone today. He heard I was dating someone and came to town to meet you."

His heart fell even deeper at this revelation. He had allowed his motions to reign over reason again. And, this time, he made her cry. Lily's father ran up, panting softly, but kept his distance he watched the scene unfold. Sheldon reached out and Lily recoiled.

"I-I'm so sorry, I-"

"How could you ever question my love for you? Do you really think so little of me?"

"Penny-"

"What? Penny, the renowned gossip-monger told you and you believed her?! Wow, and you're supposed to be a genius," She scoffed coldly.

"I am, I just don't have experience."

"And you think that gives you the right to barge in and embarrass me. No. You are just as stupid as the rest of them."

Taking a deep, shaky breath, she turned to walk toward her dad. Not knowing what else to do, he grabbed her sleeve. His eyes filled with tears of anguish.

"Lily, please. I am so sorry."

"I'm sorry too, Sheldon. I'm sorry I can't be with somebody who doesn't trust me."

She pulled from his grasp and went to her father. He held her, glaring at him over her shoulder. Shaking, Sheldon got in his car and drove, not seeing the road. He wasn't sure how or when, but he eventually made it home. Ripley greeted him at the door and he scooped her up, trudging to his room. Penny texted to ask what happened, but it was deleted immediately. All he needed right now was to be alone to reflect upon his mistakes. This was all his fault after all. Not Penny's, definitely not Lily's, but his. His lack of faith is why she left. The memory of her face as she glared at him ripped his heart to shreds, metaphorically of course. If only he was so lucky that it would happen literally. Maybe then he would have the punishment that was deserved. An odd rattling sounded in his ears and he realized it was him. The rattling was coming from his lips as he sobbed, tears streaking down his face. There was the sound of the front door opening and a knock sounded at his door moments later.

"Sheldon, are you home? Penny told me something happened."

"Just leave me alone."

"Okay buddy. I'm just letting you know, I know it hurts, but you'll get over it."

Growling, Sheldon slammed the door open. His roommate stared at him in both fear and confusion.

"H-Have you been crying?"

"Yes, Leonard, I have. That's what happens when you singlehandedly destroy the best relationship you ever had."

"But, Penny said that it was Lily's fault."

"Of course she did. Because she likes to cause trouble. Lily was having lunch with her father, who she wanted to introduce me to but didn't want to pull me away from work."

Leonard's eyes widened more and he chuckled humorlessly.

"Now I will never get that opportunity because I decided to let my emotions get the best of me."

"Why don't you go beg for her forgiveness then?"

"Because she never wants to see me again."

"Then call her. If she doesn't pick up, leave it on her answering machine."

Sheldon nodded in agreement, not seeing any harm in trying. After getting a cup of hot tea, he returned to his room. He gazed at his wallpaper for a few moments. It was a candid of her on the train. She was sleeping peacefully with her head on his chest. Drawing strength from this, he called her number It went straight to voicemail.

"Lily, it's me," He sighed, "Look, I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry. What I did was completely deplorable and I let my emotions get the best of me. I should've trusted you. I know this probably isn't enough, but I'm at my last resort. Please, Lily, don't let us end. I just need another chance."

Sighing, he hung up and crumpled against his bed. Ripley mewed for food, so Sheldon complied to her wishes. When he returned, there was a text on his phone.

_I'm sorry you let your emotions take control and ruin what we had, but I think it'd be better if we had some time apart. You need to reflect on everything before we think of another chance._

His heart shattered for a second time that night. She was gone. He lost her. The only girl he wanted had slipped through his fingers. Taking a deep breath, he let all of his feeling out in a single gut-wrenching yell. Leonard rushed to his room, not bothering to knock. Sheldon stared passively at his frantic expression.

"Sheldon?! Are you okay?"

"Yes, never better. Why?"

"You screamed."

"That was just me letting go."

"Letting go? Of Lily?"

"Of everything. Now, please leave my room. You did not have my permission."

Staring at him warily, he closed the door. Still stoic, Sheldon scrolled through his phone and deleted everything that was Lily. Pictures, contact info, and messages were erased. Then he sat down and created his own reality where Lily was just a nuisance that prevented him from working. That he never truly loved her. With that done, he went out to the living room to eat dinner before preparing to go to bed. After all, he need to get up early for work in the morning.

_**Sorry for such a short chapter. This all flooded out at once.**_


	12. Chapter 12

The next six months were fairly routine for Sheldon. Wake up, feed the cat, get dressed, go to work, come home, sleep. Every Wednesday he would visit Violet to see his goddaughter. Tuesday and Thursday he worked at the comic book store so Stuart could spend time with his family. At the university, he threw himself so deep into his work that there were many times where he didn't make it home until the wee hours of the night. His friends expressed their worries, so he cut ties from them. If they weren't going to support his choice, then they were just a nuisance. Lily also exceeding in her field from what he could tell. She was on every magazine cover and billboard. One night, after accidentally getting drunk on watermelon Leonard had neglected to tell him was from a party, he woke up surrounded by pictures of her. They were carefully clipped from a plethora of magazines that Penny had left at their apartment. Sheldon threw all but one away. The one he kept was of her in a Green Lantern shirt and jeans with her arms wrapped around her knees. Her smile was shy but her eyes held a deep agony.

As Sheldon was getting ready for another night of work at the comic book store, he got a call from Violet.

"Shelly, I need your help."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Stuart and I haven't gone out on a date since before I had Victoria. Would you mind watching her for an hour or two?"

"But I need to run the comic book shop."

"We have someone else who can take your shift."

"Who?"

"…Lily."

He looked at the phone for a second, incredulous. What did Lily know about running the shop? The only thing she was good for was attracting customers.

"Why can't she watch Victoria then while I work my shift?"

"Because, though we adore Lily, you've been around much longer. We trust you."

"Okay, fine. Only because it's you though."

"Thank you! Be here at seven. Bye!"

She hung up and he huffed, sitting on his bed. Sheldon didn't know the first thing about watching a baby. Thankfully, with his eidetic memory, he could remember watching Violet as she cared for her daughter. He just hoped she didn't use the bathroom. That is one thing he couldn't do. Checking the time, he fed Ripley and gathered the things he would need to be there. His laptop, gaming mouse, and headset were carefully set in the computer bag so he'd have something to do while Victoria slept. By the time he was done preparing, it was time to leave. Without a word to any of his "friends" in the living room, he headed over to Violet's. She met him at the door, rambling off a list of instructions as she dragged Stuart out. From what he collected, the baby was asleep in her crib and had been fed, but may wake up. They sped away and he set up his laptop on the coffee table. It was only minutes before he received a call.

"Hello?"

"Is everything okay? How is Victoria doing?"

"Still asleep Violet. I am playing World of Warcraft."

"Okay, sorry. There's spaghetti with hot dogs in the fridge."

"Thank you, I will have some."

He hung up and stopped his game, going to the kitchen to put some spaghetti. As it heated, the phone rang again.

"Violet," he sighed indignantly, "Your lack of faith is disturbing. She is asleep, I am getting food, and am perfectly capable of taking care of her if need be."

"I'm guessing Violet isn't there then."

His blood froze at the sound of Lily's voice. No matter how much he tried to erase it from his memory, he couldn't forget the sound. He silently cursed his heart for beating faster.

"I'm sorry, I was told to call if anything happened."

"No, it's fine. What's wrong?"

"A couple of kids were screwing around and a shelf fell. I set it up, but it won't stay."

"It's probably the crooked one. Just turn the upper left leg until you hear a click."

She was quiet for a moment, the sound of quiet shuffling coming from the receiver. He heard a small cheer and fought back a smile.

"I did it!" she said happily.

"You're welcome."

"Thank nyou so much."

They soon met an awkward silence. Neither wanted to hang up, but neither knew quite what to say. He heard the door open in the background and she hung up. Sighing, he leaned his head back with his eyes closed. He missed her so much. Her warmth, her voice, even her smell. No matter how much of a façade he put up, he missed her. But it was too late. She would never take him back now. Sheldon heard the microwave beep and realized he had forgotten his dinner. Thankfully it was still hot enough to eat. As he ate, he decided to scroll through his emails. There was a new one from Amy. Shrugging, he decided to see what she wanted.

_Sheldon,_

_I heard what happened from Penny. I am very sorry that it ended that way. One a different note, would you like to grab dinner with me? We could catch up and discuss our recent findings._

_-Amy_

He thought about it before replying.

_Amy,_

_I don't see why not. How about tomorrow at Golden Dragon?_

_-Sheldon_

Her reply was almost instant.

_Sheldon,_

_Excellent. See you at six._

He finished his spaghetti and cleaned his dishes before going in to check on Victoria. She was fast asleep in her crib. A small smile crossed his face as he knelt beside the crib, reaching in to touch her face. It was round and cherubic, the purest face he had ever laid eyes on. Her eyelids were a pale rose color and a mess of black curls partially covered her face. His breath caught in his throat as her eyes fluttered before opening to reveal inquisitive brown eyes.

"Hey there."

She smiled toothlessly, reaching out to touch his hand. Her chubby fist closed around his finger. Chuckling, Sheldon picked her up.

"You're getting big," he felt her diaper carefully, "And a little squishy. Let's get you changed."

He set her on the changing table, assembling the supplies he needed before unbuttoning her onesie. Her diaper was, thankfully, only wet and he changed it with ease. After fastening her onesie once more, he scooped the now-awake infant up. She fit perfectly against his side. Knowing that there would be nobody to hear him, Sheldon cooed to her.

"Do you wanna come help Uncle Shelly work? You do? Well, come help me work!"

She giggled and babbled as he walked to the living room. Setting her carefully on his lap, he leaned over her to work on the laptop. His new thesis on string theory was going amazing and he was ready to put the finishing touches on his final paper before submission to the committee. Victoria tugged on his shirt, drooling on it. He didn't mind though. Sheldon knew this was probably the closest he'd get to having his own child and tended to dote on her. Smiling, he typed with one hand while using the other to clean her face. Her indignant gurgles made him laugh. There was a knock at the front door and he picked her up, going to answer. Lily stood on the other side looking slightly shocked.

"S-Sorry. I thought Violet would be home by now."

"No, she's on a date. What is it?"

"I just came by to drop the keys off."

He nodded, taking them from her outstretched palm. His fingers grazed her skin and he felt a spark go through his body. Victoria squealed joyfully and reached for Lily, who took her gently. She hugged her once, pecked her chubby cheek, then passed her back to the stunned physicist. As she turned to leave, she smiled sadly.

"I miss you too," she almost whispered.

Before he had a chance to react, she got in her car and drove away. He went back inside, setting the baby in her playpen. Her words hit him like a punch in the gut.

_I miss you too…_

She knew how he was feeling! It wasn't just his imagination!

"_If she feels this, what else may she feel?_" A voice whispered in the back of his mind.

He brushed away this thought quickly. She may miss him, but love was completely different. Love came from trust and respect; things he hadn't been able to give her. Maybe if he learned, she would want him again. Victoria cooed and he grinned.

"That's right, Uncle Shelly has an idea! Want to help him?"

She giggled and he picked her up, twirling. A giggle from behind made him aware of the fact that he was being watched. Turning, he saw Violet holding her phone up as she recorded him. He blushed, setting the baby down slowly.

"Hey, Kolbe?" he started, using her old nickname.

"Yes?"

"I need your help."


End file.
